Why use a member of The Gardeners Guild?
Members are Qualified
- Qualified means trained and assessed.
ID Checks
- Applicants have their identification checked more than once.
Perennial assessment
- Professional entry criteria, annual membership renewal, published member list, clear terms of membership, simple complaints policy.
More:
1. Gardeners must prove that they have at least one regulated (officially recognised) horticultural qualification equal to Ofqual Level 2
'Certificate' or above before being accepted as a
member. They must also be an owner of the business they represent.
- To achieve a qualification in their chosen field of horticulture (or
horticultural related specialism) the gardener has received training, an
assessment and has had their identification checked*. Qualifications also
indicate their dedication and a genuine interest in the topic.
- In some circumstances this
can include licenses for specialist equipment such as chainsaws and pesticides
application as these are a legal requirement in some instances and indicate that
the member takes safety and the environment seriously.
-
While all members must have a level 2 horticultural qualification as a minimum, Consultant
members have additional acceptance criteria.
- According to our 2019 member
survey, members have an average of 12 years professional gardening
experience.
- A qualified gardener can work independently. This reduces the need for personal contact and makes compliance with social distancing much easier.
2. A good gardener should be easy to contact. You can find a local gardener by searching our Member Register - a free to use online directory of qualified gardeners throughout the UK. You can use it to find Maintenance Gardeners (Contractors) and Garden Consultants. Consultant members can be easily identified as they abbreviate their membership with the letters CMTGG after their name.
3. Members are required to abide by our terms and conditions of membership.
4. We have arranged for members to have access to affordable Public Liability Insurance. More about Insurance.
5. We provide our members with regular legislation updates.
6. We provide our members with document templates to help them comply with the law.
7. We provide our members with access to a Health and Safety advice line.
8. We provide our members with access to a legal advice line.
9. We also arrange member surveys and manage an online forum where members can share best practice and plant care tips.
10. We also promote and encourage attendance on skills training courses such as rose pruning, fruit tree pruning etc where available.
*Membership is for qualified individuals who manage their own business. Most of our members are sole traders. Only the named member has had their horticultural qualifications checked. Some members may not hold licenses for pesticide or chainsaw use but may have employees who do and have submitted evidence for their employees licenses but the employee is not a member. The member should tell you if they plan to send you an employee or associate.
How to find them
Use our free, online,
Find a
Gardener service to find your nearest qualified gardener.
- Enter
your postcode,
- Select the type of
service you want,
- Click search to see your 10
nearest qualified gardeners.
What to look for
Members must have at least one gardening qualification at level 2 or above
but no two gardeners are exactly alike.
- When you can see your 10 local
members, click on each one to read about how they describe their services,
higher qualifications, experience and specialist interests etc.
- How
long have they been a TGG member?
- Are they a Consultant member? This means that
they have submitted evidence that they have above average experience or
qualifications.
- Do they have a website that tells you more about their
services?
Extra help:
-
Working with children or vulnerable adults
-
Should you let them take away your
green waste?
-
Are they insured for
what you want them to do?
Check the logo
Our logo makes it easy to identify a qualified gardener.
There are many excellent trade groups and vetting schemes that small business owners can join. Make sure that you understand why the trader has been issued with a logo and what it represents. Always check that the trader is entitled to use that logo by visiting the schemes website to check their list of members and entry criteria.
